Hotel Artemis

Well if you ever need a room at the Hotel Artemis ... you are definitely not well. Pun very much intended. But watching the inhabitants of that establishment, is kind of fun. I might have thought there would be more to the film, it's a bit understating and it is also very low maintenance. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing at all.

Bautista may have a better and bigger role in Guardians (or maybe it's had, the future will show what will happen there), so it may also feel underwhelming what he is allowed to play with here. Even on Blade Runner 2049, where he had less screen time he seems to have had more impact. But different movies, different roles and all that. This is an ensemle thriller and it achieves what it sets out to do. Cool characters and good action/stunt sequences

Maybe it's just me but I've not heard any buzz surrounding this movie and with the actors involved I figured it was due to its lackluster entertainment value. Not only was I surprised, I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish and highly recommend it.

'Hotel Artemis' has its fair share of cinematic kerfluffles from story structure to pacing. However, it's a lot of fun. This is mostly because it has a cast that is given roles that they excel at. It's such an odd assortment of actors that came together to create a stylish film that seems familiar yet unique at the same time.

There are rules at the Hotel Artemis, a secret, high tech hospital for the underworld of Los Angeles. In order to remain a member of this elite criminal's emergency room, you have to respect the staff and the other patients, much in the same way that The Continental from 'John Wick' has rules. It's neutral ground where egos, grudges, and guns have to be checked at the door. The reason for these rules is because it houses an odd assortment of colorful characters from all walks of life. The only thing they all share in common is that they are the worst of the worst when it comes to dirty dealings in a city known for its outlaws.

Jodi Foster stars as the nurse that runs the Hotel Artemis. She's a washed-up drunk who has long since lost her medical license, but not her skills when it comes to saving the lives of those who probably shouldn't be saved. Foster's portrayal of Nurse is much richer than the character probably deserves in a sci-fi action film. Tormented by the death of her son, she hasn't set foot outside the hotel for decades due to crippling anxiety. Despite this she is a no-nonsense tough as nails caretaker who won't hesitate to call upon her orderly, Everest, played by David Bautista, to expel unruly guests from the premises. Her character is the very cornerstone of the film and what everything and everyone is built off of.

The rest of the cast features the likes of Sophia Boutella as a beautiful and deadly assassin, Sterling K. Brown as a devastatingly handsome bank robber, and Charlie Day as an obnoxiously entitled arms dealer. The three are at odds given that the hotel houses criminals and criminals can't be trusted, and to make matters worse a full-blown riot is taking place on the streets below. Luckily, there is honor among thieves for the most part. That doesn't last long though, because, well, what fun would that be?

'Hotel Artemis' is the feature directorial debut of Drew Pearce, who also wrote the film. While he's proven to be an exceptions writer in the past his directing isn't quite up to par with the concepts and characters he's put together. While the actors all do what they do best with the roles they're given, the pacing and cinematography feel flat, which undermines the urgency of the situation. There's such a focus on putting together the leads in the film, that the overall threat that they end up facing by the end of the film doesn't feel like it's truly worthy of them and ends with a disappointing third act.

Despite the cinematic issues 'Hotel Artemis' faces, it is fun watching events unfold. Brown is unbelievably charming as a suave and debonair bank robber trying to get out of the underworld once and for all. Most of his scenes are shared with Boutella who has exploded onto the scene since 'Kingsman: The Secret Service.' Since then she's become a name I look for on movie posters and while her films might not always be great, I'm never disappointed in her performances. Then there is Bautista who has become incredibly popular since joining the MCU and is an actor that takes his art very seriously. He's someone who remains humble and works hard for everything he has. While the role of Everest might not be as juicy as say, Sapper in 'Blade Runner 2049,' he manages to use his imposing physicality perfectly in Hotel Artemis.

As we like to say here, "not all great movies are good." That isn't to say that 'Hotel Artemis' is a great movie, because it definitely isn't. However, it's a fun movie. It's a film that is mindless entertainment with enough interesting concepts (from medical nanites to 3D printing organs) to keep audiences intrigued with what's unfolding. It's just unfortunate that it never seems to achieve what it's aiming for. At its core, it's a film with great characters and an interesting premises, so much so that it almost feels wasted. That being said, it still a movie that I quite enjoyed sitting through. There are certainly better films that came out this week, but I feel like Hotel Artemis really rounds out the choices at the cinema. It's not a movie for everyone, but for those who enjoy trashy movies with reliable and talented actors, it's definitely going to hit the spot.

Hotel Artemis is a film which doesn't do a great deal wrong. However, it is also a film which doesn't do a great deal right. It just kind of hangs in mid-air, with clichéd characters acting in clichéd ways and having clichéd conversations. And then it ends. It's not actually about anything. It's also predictable, with precious little substance. It looks pretty though.

In 2028, riots are tearing Los Angeles apart. The film takes place primarily in the eponymous Hotel Artemis, a secret hospital for criminals in the heart of the city. The motley crew of characters, many of whom are known only by the name of the room in which they're staying, include Waikiki (Sterling K. Brown) and his brother Honolulu (Brian Tyree Henry), bank robbers who have been involved in a shootout with police; Nice (Sofia Boutella), an assassin who "only kills important people", and just so happens to be Waikiki's ex-girlfriend; and Acapulco (a spectacularly miscast Charlie Day), a weapons dealer and all round weasel. Also present are The Wolf King (Jeff Goldblum), Los Angeles's most feared gangster, who also finances the hospital; his incompetent son, Crosby (an underutilised Zachary Quinto); and Morgan (Jenny Slate), a cop injured in the riots. The hospital is run by "Nurse" (Jodie Foster), an agoraphobic alcoholic haunted by visions of her past, with porter duties handled by Everest (Dave Bautista). The hospital functions because all guests must adhere to a rigid set of rules (the first of which is "don't kill the other patients") and a strict no weapons policy.

Sounds pretty interesting doesn't it? It's not. The dialogue is awful, the narrative beats can be seen coming a mile away, and the characters are all architypes, with only Nurse really fleshed out to any degree. There's the loud-mouth snivelling weapons dealer, the gorgeous but oh-so-deadly assassin, the criminal kingpin and his screw-up son who just wants to be like dad, the skilled bank robber who spends most of his time trying to get himself out of the trouble caused by his unreliable brother, and the tough-as-old-boots medical professional who just wants to help people when in actual fact, she's beyond help herself. The premise may be reasonably interesting, but, in his debut feature, writer/director Drew Pearce undermines it by populating the milieu with cardboard cut-outs instead of characters. True, most of the actors give it their all (Bautista in particular gives a performance far superior to the material with which he has to work), but there's just no substance here, no depth. There are simply too many clichés at every level to be able to overlook them.

Yes, it's an original(ish) idea made with a small(ish) budget, which is exactly what we need more of these days, when every second film is a CGI-infested remake, comic book adaptation, or sequel (or a CGI-infested remake of a sequel to a comic book adaptation). However, an original idea is all very well and good, but it can only take you so far; the execution has to be there as well, and this is where Hotel Artemis falls down. It's simply not an especially well-made film. Pearce does a reasonably good job with the directorial side of things, as aesthetically, the hotel is really intriguing, with a nice use of primary colours and a well-conceived juxtaposition of modern technology and 3D printers with retro décor and secret passages. In terms of plot, however, there's just nothing to latch onto or get your teeth into. None of the characters really do or say anything very interesting, and a half-hour into the film, as it became increasingly apparent that none of them were going to be developed to any great degree, I just stopped caring.

Shocked at the low score and haters for this really entertaining film. Writer and making his major film directorial debut Drew Pearce, did an outstanding job on both fronts. The all star cast where excellent, funny and entertaining. The cinematography was perfect and the sets where on point. The story was done really well considering it was primarily based inside one floor of a building. Much better than I expected. A well deserved 8/10 from me.